Earlier this year, San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) became the first school district in the state to grant high school diplomas to students who did not pass the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE). With this change, more students left SFUSD with a high school diploma, enabling them to pursue postsecondary education or join the workforce with a secondary credential.

The holidays are a time for gathering with friends, family and loved ones. Many of us happily anticipate taking part in yearly traditions and look forward to reuniting with everyone we care about. Particularly as Thanksgiving arrives, we often take time to reflect on our fortunes, acknowledging what we’re grateful for and appreciating being surrounded by a loving and caring community.

Unfortunately for a young person in foster care, the holiday season can remind them of a family or community that they’ve lost.

From the time they enter the state’s care and likely long before, foster youth experience trauma that can severely alter their physical, emotional, and psychological well-being. The impact of trauma on foster youth can mean that this vulnerable population faces numerous additional challenges as they grow and develop into adulthood.